The present invention relates to a system for carrying mediums such as recording mediums or CDs of an automatic disc player such as a singalong system.
Recently, a singalong system using an optical disc (laser disc) or a compact disc has become popular. In the singalong system, an automatic disc player system is provided for automatically taking out a selected disc by the user and reproducing it. After reproducing, the disc is automatically returned to a storing position. The disc player system comprises a commander for controlling a selecting operation and a plurality of automatic changers each of which is operated to change and reproduce the disc.
FIG. 22 shows an example of the disc player system having a pair of stocker units 10 and 30, each having a plurality of discs 70 such as video discs and CDs stacked in a column, and a disc player unit 20 having a plurality of disc players and attached to the stocker units 10 and 30 therebetween. The stocker units 10 and 30 and the player unit 20 have opposite guide rails 11, 31 and 21, respectively at the upper rear portions thereof, each aligned at the same height. A pulley 51a connected to a motor 50 is provided in the stocker unit 10 adjacent the end portion of the guide rails 11, and a pulley 51b is provided in the stocker unit 20 adjacent the end portion of the guide rails 31. A wire 60 on which a laterally moving carrier 40 is mounted is provided between the pulleys 51a and 51b so that when the motor 50 is driven, the carrier 40 slides along the guide rails 11, 21 and 31. The stocker unit 10 is provided with a carrier 15 having a handling device 16. The carrier 15 moves vertically in the front portion of the stocker 10 along the column of discs 70 and horizontally between the front and rear thereof. Similarly, the stocker unit 30 is provided with a carrier 35 having a handling device 35, and the player unit 20 is provided with a carrier 25 having a handling device 26.
In operation, if a disc to be played in the player unit 20 is stored in the stocker unit 10, the carrier 15 is lowered to a position confronting the desired disc 70 and retrieves it with the handling device 16. The carrier 15 carries the disc 70 to the upper portion of the stocker unit 10 and further to the rear portion thereof. At the same time, the lateral carrier 40 is positioned at a waiting position 12 so that the disc 70 held by the carrier 15 is transported on to the carrier 40 by the handling device 16. The carrier 40 then slides on the guide rails 11 and 21 to a position 22 as shown in FIG. 23. The disc 70 is then transported from the carrier 40 to the waiting carrier 25 by the handling device 26. The carrier 25 accordingly moves to the front position of the player unit 20 and further lowered so as to load the disc 70 in one of the disc players.
In such a system, the wire 60 must be extended through the entire lateral length of the system. In order to add a new unit to the system, the wire must be exchanged. Moreover the pulleys 51a and 51b must be provided at the ends of the extended system. Hence, the units 10 and 30 housing the pulleys 51a and 51b must always be positioned at the ends of the system.
Another problem which occurs in the system is that the guide rails 11, 21 and 31 may displace from the initial horizontal positions thereof. Namely, the guide rails 11, 21 and 31 may be staggered from each other, thereby preventing a smooth sliding of the carrier 40.